14-Sep-2014 Dear Friend,
Often in life we are given a choice to say 'Yes' or 'No' to people's questions or requests to us. So often people easily say 'Yes' when they mean 'No'! It is easy to give our word, it doesn't cost anything there and then. The cost comes later if and when we honour our word. Do we mean what we say? Are we people of our word, or are we merely yes-men and women? Are we ready to substantiate our word with deeds? Today's readings challenge us to be people of our word. Have a 'faith-action' weekend! Fr. Jude Sunday Ref: 26th Sunday "Repent, believe and obey the commandments!" 28-Sep-2014 Readings: Ezekiel 18: 25-28 Philip.2: 1-11 Mt. 21: 28-32 The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel is about personal, individual responsibility for responding to God's call to us. At the time of the prophet Ezekiel, there was a belief that a child was punished for the sins of his parents. Ezekiel didn't agree with this. He stated clearly and unequivocally that each one is responsible for his sins, and will have to answer for them. We can't hide behind the goodness or evil of others. However, if we sin, repentance will win us pardon and forgiveness. If we confess our sins we have nothing to fear but only trust in the mercy of God. Ezekiel thus reminds us of the constant need for conversion, which is not a one-time experience but has to be undergone constantly. Conversion Experience Thomas Merton was orphaned at 16, became a communist at 20, and found Christ at 23. At 24 he became a New York Times reporter. At 26 he put all his possessions in a duffle bag, went to Kentucky and became a Trappist monk. In his best-selling spiritual autobiography, called The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton described the first step in his conversion process. He writes: "The whole thing passed in a flash. I was overwhelmed with a sudden and profound insight into the misery and corruption of my own soul. I was filled with horror at what I saw... And my soul desired escape... from all this with an intensity and urgency unlike anything I had ever known before." Merton goes on to say that for the first time in his life he prayed - really prayed. The story of Thomas Merton illustrates the kind of change of heart Ezekiel refers to in today's first reading. Mark Link in 'Sunday Homilies' The Gospel highlights living our faith with the parable of the two sons who are asked to work in the father's vineyard. The first says: "I will not go!", but afterwards thought better and went. The second son says: "Certainly Sir!" But he did not go. "Which one did the father's will?" asks Jesus. Jesus himself replies to the rhetorical question, "The first." And then says to the Pharisees "Tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you." What is the point Jesus is trying to make? We have to be people of our word and back up our words with appropriate action. So often we say yes, when we actually mean no. We say we will do something but we already know that we don't intend to do it! Our 'Yes' is a 'maybe', or 'I'll see if I can', or "I'm not sure', or a plain 'No'! A good test is to check our dealings with our brothers and sisters. Can we say 'Yes' and mean it? The second point being made in today's Gospel is that even if we have said 'No' to God, it is never too late to say yes! We are always welcome to the Father's house no matter how late! He always gives us a second chance! While the temple priests and the Pharisees were condemned because they preferred to be seen as people, who observed the letter of the law, those who stood justified were the sinners and prostitutes, who, acknowledged that they had sinned and were ready to repent. When John the Baptist preached repentance, the Pharisees did not feel the need to repent whereas the tax collectors and sinners came forward to listen and be baptised by him. In the final analysis our commitment to God is not measured by lip service and external ritual but by good deeds that prove our repentance. The first son whose word was 'No' but whose action became a 'Yes', is held out to us as the one who did the Father's will. He was late in doing the Father's will but not too late. Brothers Along with Oedipus Rex and Hamlet, Sigmund Freud considered Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov one of the three greatest works in world literature. In Freud's interpretation, the three Karamazov brothers symbolize the nature of man. The eldest Dimitri is a wild wastrel. He represents man dominated by sensuality. The next son Ivan is a teacher, writer and atheist. He represents the intellectual dimension of man. The youngest son Alyosha was a novice in at a monastery. He stands for the spiritual nature of man. The three brothers were abandoned by their father Fyodor after their mother died. They reassemble now to do battle with their father and claim what is rightfully theirs. Their conflicts reflect those of Every man, which occur not only in his soul, but also in his relationship with God. Today's Gospel tells another symbolic brother story. Jesus does not wait for Freud to arrive to interpret the brother's story. He analyses it himself. The younger son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes whose lives have been a 'No' to God, but who now repent and enter the kingdom of heaven. In contrast, the elder son represents the Jewish leaders who profess to be religious, but who did not respond to repentance. In point of fact, both groups have their faults, but at least the group who turn to God is to be preferred to the one that turns away from him. The ideal is for us to live in such a way that what we profess and practice meet and match. Albert Cylwicki in 'His Word Resounds' Internal Obedience To put the will of God into action we need internal conversion. Thomas Merton had a tragic life. His father and mother died of cancer at an early age. His brother died of an accident. His guardian abandoned him. He became a sceptic and lived an immoral life. He fathered a child out of wedlock. In the end he abandoned the woman and the child and restlessly wandered through life. On the advice of friends he went into a Franciscan monastery. Hearing his story, no religious congregation was willing to admit him. He was close to despair and perhaps not too far from suicide. At last he reached the Gethsemane Abbey of the Cistercians. Like a shipwrecked mariner reaching the shore, he grasped all the straws available. He was twenty-six years when he entered and died at fifty-three. The last few years of his life contain remarkable glimpses of his human and divine love. He penned 'The Seven Story Mountain', and his later spiritual classic 'Seeds of Contemplation' made him a worldwide spiritual master. Merton is a modern St. Augustine. Elias Dias in 'Divine Stories for Families' Which of the two sons are we? A survey was distributed during a worship service one Sunday morning. Among the questions was, "Do you think there should be an Evening Bible Study?" The young pastor was overwhelmed by the response. Over fifty persons indicated that there should be an evening Bible study. The elated pastor began making plans. A day or two later, a wise experienced lay leader came to visit the pastor. Gently he advised the young pastor that he had asked the wrong question. Instead of asking, "Do you think there should be a Bible study?" the pastor should have asked, "Are you willing to attend an evening Bible study?" A second questionnaire was issued. This time the question was, "Are you willing to attend Bible study?" The result was quite different from the week before. This time only twelve persons indicated that they would be willing to attend! King Duncan in 'Dynamic Preaching' Never Too Late! Leonard Cheshire witnessed the dropping of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. The city went up in flames, thousands were killed, and thousands were maimed for life. After Nagasaki he was a changed man. On his return to England he resigned from the Air force, became a devout Catholic and vowed to spend the rest of his life working for peace. He plunged into social work and founded Cheshire Homes for the terminally ill and disabled. Tom Talbot was an alcoholic. He spent all his life in this terrible vice and troubled everyone. One day, in a drunken stupor as he lay on the roadside mired in his own iniquity, he looked for someone to give him money for a drink. In his utter helplessness he looked for assistance from the Almighty. He quit alcohol and changed his whole life. Today he is an example for all alcoholics. To do the will of God, an inner change is necessary. Elias Dias in 'Divine Stories for Families' Actions Speak Louder Than Words A Manager of a well-known firm was told by his officials that one of his officials was swindling money. The culprit was called by the Manager and given a promotion to be a supervisor. He was surprised but continued with his old habit of swindling money. When the Manger was informed he promoted him to a yet higher level as one of the officers. But the man did not change. Finally, he was appointed as the personal secretary of the Manager. In his dealings with the Manager he discovered that the Manager was aware of this man's greed and yet had not punished him but given more and more opportunities to improve. He was embarrassed and changed his ways. Within a year he had become popular among his co-workers for his sincerity and transparency. It was little wonder that after the retirement of the Manager, he was chosen to replace the Manager. Robert D'Souza in 'The Sunday Liturgy' May our 'Yes' to God be seen in our loving deeds and actions! Fr. Jude Botelho [email protected] PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my Web site www.NetForLife.net Thank you.
